Branch block for suspended cables.



J. S. STEWART. BRANCH BLOCK FOR SUSPENDED GABLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2'1, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

' ,iT'AM'E's s. scnnwa vr, F NEw' 'onK, N. Y., Assre vo'n 'rohnnm STEWART, or" j "NEW Yonx,N.fY.'

BRANCH Bno'oK FOR sUsPENDnn cABr-ns.

To all whom; it may concern; l Be it known that I, James S. STEWART, a

I citizen ofthe United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have in- .vented certain new and useful Improve-- ments in Branch Blocks for Suspended Cables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. K

This invention relates to a means for establishing branch circuits or extensions from an electric-cable, particularly a suspended cable, where no supportlng ceiling, wall orsurface is directly available to receive the. usual. branch connecting means, such as'a rosette or outlet box. So far as I am aware, the branch circuit or connection has generally been made under these circumstances by what is known as a halfsplice, being merely a joint in which the cable conductors and the extension circuit conductors are bared and twisted together,

the joint being afterward soldered and taped to give it strength and insulation, so far as possible. This roecdure is obviously 'troublesomeand time consuming, and unguy wire or cord from the joint to some girder or an available supporting point above, but by the usual halt-splice method, I

there is no good pointfor the attachment of such guy wire to the joint which will not tend to cut into the insulation. On account of these'various and manifold diiliculties, an improved means for making a connection of this character is evidently desirable.

is the purpose of my present invention to provide a branch 'bloclr for use with suspended cabls, and which shall overcome the above mentioned difliculties.

In the drawings: Figurel is a side'view of a branch block embodying the principles I ofniy invention, with one side removed;

'Fig'. 2 is a sectional view on the line IIII of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the complete brancnjblock.

Refcrrin' to the drawings in] which like parts are esignatcd by the same reference l Specification of Letters Patent." Patented 1\[ ,y 31, 1910 A licant tiledlanu ary 27, 1909. Serial No. 474,579.

sign, lfdcnotcs an electric cable, and 2 indicates a. branch conductor or dcpendin flexible cord of the sort ordinarily used or extension circuits.

3 denotes broadly what I term a branch block, and which serves to accomplish the functions of a half-s lice as heretofore employed and above re erred to. This branch block comprises essentially an insulating body having terminal clips at-cach side b which connection is made to the circult wires, the device including means for. giving the requisite strength and insulating qualities to the connection.

In the drawings 1 have illustrated an insulating body 1 having somewhatthe outline of a shield in side elevation, with a pair of grooves 5 extending transversel across the upper part of its opposite site faces, respectively.

(3 denotes clips respectively located in depressions 7 on opposite sides of the block 4, which extend into the grooves 5. Each clip has a terminal screw 9 within the corresponding groove 5.

8- denotes screws which pass through the block 4- suitably out of alinement with the terminal screws 9 and which on age the clips (5 to secure them in place wit in their recesses 7. The block 4 also has a. pair of grooves 10 extending downward on opposite sides of its lower portion and terminating, in close proximity to one another, as shown in Fig. 1. In an upward direction these grooves 10 extend to points in the gen- .cral neighborhood of the respective clipsG on the opposite side of the block, at w llCll points the grooves 10 lead into holes or ducts 11 extending entirely through the body from one side to the other. These holes 11 emerge on the opposite side of the body within the recesses 7 of the-respective clips 6, already described. Near these holes 11, within'the recesses ,7,- the clips have terminal screws 12.

13 denotes a casing) which is adapted to be fastened around the lock or body 4 to cover the various circuit wlres and connections and .retain them in place, in conjunction with the fastening means already described. 'I make the casing 18 in two parts applicable and removable from o posite sides of the body 4. These halves of the casing are substantially identical in construction, and embrace the outline of the hody 4 closely throughout.

Opposite the grooves 5. and the recesses 7, however, the material is embossed outward, as shown at 14 and 14, to give sutlicient room for the conductors and'conncctions. The casing may be made of stamped sheet metal, but in this case should be lined or coated with an insulating layer.

15 denotes a screw for securingthetwo halves of the casing together, this screw extending through a central hole of the body 4:.

In the foregoing description, I have referred generally to the similarity of the a rrznigements of the clips, recesses and parts on op osite-sides of the connector. It is possible and inost convenient in practice to make the two sides'of the device exactly identical in the sense of having the same mold or form, although the corresponding parts onopposite sides are in reversed rather than symn'ietricall'y opposite relation. With this arrangement the clips 7 and the various screws thereon and the ducts 11, are considerably separated fronrone another, and the parts of opposite polarity properly insulated. liloreover, portions of the body I which are weakened on one side by the re-- cesses, etc., are strongest on the opposite side at this location, because of the absence of any correspondin cavities or depressions on such opposite si( e. The result is a balanced structure andone in which the highest mechanical strength and insulating elliciency is secured.

In use, the outside covering of the cable 1, is cut away to expose the separate conductors and these are bent apart so as to embrace the "upper part of the body 4 of the branch block, lying in the respective grooves 5 thereof.' At points opposite the clips 6, the conductors of the cable 1 are bared and engaged beneath the terminal screws 9. The branch conductors or extension circuit wires 2, are placed in the grooves IO and deflected into the ducts l1. 4 Their extremities are bared at the points of their emergence from said ducts, and engaged beneath the adja:

cent terminal screw 12 of the corresponding clip- 6. In this way the branch conductors 2 are individually connected to the conductors of the cable 1. It is evident that all the metallic parts of opposite polarity are widely separated from one another and effectively insulated by the intervening insulating body 4. Mechanically -considered, the connection is also 'very secure, particularly when the halves of the casing'have been secured in place. The walls of the easing closely bind the conductors of the cable 1 in the grooves 5, and the casing is furthermore extended at each end to form a guiding ring or eye 20, with rounded edges embracing the unbroken or un nutilated cover of the cable outside the 'zone where it is weakened by the removal ot'the insulation. I regard this as an exceedingly important portion and the continual swaying would feature of my invention, it being one of the most prominent characteristics of the device. The eyes 20'being formed directly by the casing and being strongly braced by the nature of the form of the casing, are partie ularly well adapted to resist vertical or lateral strains, and it is at the location of these eyes that any bending or deflection of the cable occurs when the branch-block is in use. given point sags in each direction toward such point'and is bent more or less shar ly thereat. Without the eyes 20 the ca le would be bent. at its uncovered or mutilated work the conductors loose .from the binding screws 9. But by having the eyes '20 which closely embrace the unmutilated portions of the cable. no bending occurs except in the unmutila ted portions of the cable outside the eyes, and the swaying, etc, has no effect to work the conductors loose from the binding screws. Moreover, the cable conductors will not be broken as readily if the deflection due to swaying is within its outside cover since very sharp bends or localized stresses on the conductors are prevented. The conductors 2 are also bound in their grooves by the easing and it 'will be particularly noted that when these conductors are confined. in this 'way, that they each traverse what is virtually a channel with a right angle bend there'- in, located where the conductors enter the ducts 11'. As is well known, this gives a very great resistance against the conductors yield- 100 mg or slidinglongitudinally in the channels, amountingordinarily to a force greater than the tensile strength of the comluctors, so that no great strain is .put on the terminal screws 12 in any case. halves of the casing may also have an eye bolt or screw 21'for the attachment of a guy wire or suspension cord in case considerable strain is put on the extension circuit eouductors 2. Such additional support is particuv 11o larly required in stage lightlng, etc. where a chandelier is sometimes supported from an overhead suspension cable 1. through the de-v I pending circuit wires 2. The nature of the bolt 21 is such that no strain thereon tends 115 .to cut the insulation or in any way interfere with the efficiency of the branch block connection.-

I I prefer to fasten the eye bolt 21 to one of the halves 13 of the casing 13 and have the other half 13 of the casing with a portion 13 which overlaps the part 13 having the eye bolt. In this way the strains on the eye bolt are communicated substantially equally to both halves of the casing. As the casing 125 is formed with inturned edges 13') which under-he the block around its entire lower portion, the block which is ordinarily of brittle porcelain, has only counn-ession It is evident that a cable loaded at a One or both of the A these are distributed throughout its mass in such a Way as to almost preclude any possibility of breakage therefrom. I

What I claim, is-

1. A branch-block ror suspended cables,

comprisinga body having means for grasping the conductors of the cable, means for grasping the conductors of the extension. circuit, means for electrically connecting the conductors of the cable to the conductors of the extension circuit, and a casing having eyes to grasp unmutilated port-ions of said 3 cable.

2. A branch-block for suspended cables, comprising a body having grooves to receive the conductors of the cable, means for firmly grasping the conductors of the extension circuit, means for electrically connecting the conductors of the cable to the conductors of the extension circuit, and a casing having eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of said cable.

A branch-block for suspended cables, comprising a body having means for firmly grasping the conductors of the cable and having grooves to receive the conductors of the extension circuit, means for electrically connecting the conductors of the cable to the conductors of the extension circuit, and a casing having eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of said cable.

4. A branch block for suspended cables, comprising an insulating body having grooves to receive the conductors of the cable and grooves to receive the conductors of the extension circuit, metallic clips on said body each adapted to be connected to a conductor of said cable and of said extension gr :1 s p v site sides to receive the conductors of the cable and having grooves on opposite sides to receive the conductors of the extension circuit, metallic clips on opposite sides of said body each adapted to be connected to a conductor of said cable and of said extension circuit, and means having eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of the cable.

6. A branch-block for suspended cables, comprising an insulating body having grooves on opposite sides to receive the conductors of the cable and having grooves on opposite sides terminating in ducts extending through said body to receive the conductors of the extension circuit, metallic clips each adapted to be connected to a conductor of said cable and of said extension circuit, and means having eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of the cable. v

7. A branclrblock for suspended cables, comprising insulating body having grooves on. opposite sides to receive the coneach adapted to be connected to a conductor.

of said cable and of said extension circuit, said clips being joined to the conductors of said extension circuit on the opposite side of said body from their respective grooves, and means having eyes to grasp unmutilated portions 'of the cable.

8. A branch-block for suspended cables, comprising an insulating body having grooves to receive the conductors of I the cable and, the conductors of the extension circuit, metallic clips adapted to connect said extension circuit conductors to the respective conductors of the cable, and a twopart casing fitting over said body to bind said conductors in place thereon, said casing having means with eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of the cable.

- 9. A branch-block for suspended cables, comprising a body having grooves to receive the conductors of the cable and of the extension circuit, metallic clips for joining the conductors of the extension circuit to the conductors of the cable, and a casing fitting over said body and embossed outward opposite said clips, said casing having means with eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of the cable.

10. A branch-block for suspended cables,

comprising a body having grooves to receive the conductors of said cable'and of the extension circuit, and a casing having a part for the attachment of a guy Wire and adapted to fit over said body, said casing having means with eyes to grasp unmutilated portions of the cable.

11. A branch-block for suspended cables comprising a body having grooves to receive the conductors of the cable and of the extension circuit, and a casing fitting over said body and having portions cooperating to form rings or eyes embracing said cable beyond the zone ofinte3ruption of its insulation.

12. A branch-block for suspended cables, comprising a body having grooves to receive the conductors of said cable and of the extension circuit, and a casing com arising two halves inclosing said body, one oi the halves of said casing having an eye bolt, and the other half having a portion extending over the half of said casing which has the eye, as and for the purpose set forth.

In Witness whereof I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES S. STEWART.

XVitnesses:

ALFRED lVA'rnRs Pnooron \VALDo M. CHAPIN. 

